Grapple.



PATENTED JULY 5, 1904.

w. A. DUNCAN.

GRAPPLB.

APPLIUA'I'IOH mnn an. 11. 1904.

N0 MODEL.

n. m A I 1 1 Ma M mm F 1 Q w 3 amoemtoz Hot/mu v UNITED STATES Patented duly 5, 19041.

PATENT OFFICE.

WHIT. A. DUNCAN, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E. T. LUCKIE, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

GHAPPLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,281, dated July 5, 1904:.

Application filed March 11, 1904.. "Serial No. 197,671. (No model.)

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWHIT. A. DUNCAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Grapples, of which the following is a specifieation.

My invention pertains to grapples for lifting stone; and it has for its object to provide a strong and durable stone-lifting grapple which is a simplification of those extant and one which is adapted to take secure hold of a stone and which is not liable to slip when the weight of a stone is imposed upon it or break out of the stone.

With theforegoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the grapple constituting the preferred embodiment of my invention as the same appears precedent to being placed in engagement with a stone, and Fig. 2is an elevation illustrating the grapple as the same appears when engaged with and subject to the weightof a stone.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in both views of the drawings, referring to which A is a stone to be lifted, which has a recess (,6 of dovetail form in its upper side, and A A are the swinging members of my novel grapple. The said swinging members A comprise upper long arms, which are adapted to bear against each other throughout their length when the Weight of a stone is on the grapple, as shown in Fig. 2, and lower short arms B. These latter are disposed at obtuse angles to the upper long arms, and hence are adapted to conform to the side walls of the dovetail recess a in the stone when the grapple is placed in engagement therewith, and thereby preclude casual disengagement of the grapple from the stone.

C is a connecting-link disposed alongside the members A and pivotally connected to said members adjacent to the apices of the angles thereof. But one link C is shown, and yet angles to their upper ends.

parture from the scope of my invention.

a a are cables, preferably chains, connected to the upper arms of the members A at or adjacent to the upper ends thereof and designed to be connected with any suitable hoisting means.

In the practical use of my novel grapple the members A are positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, relative to each other, and the lower arms B are placed in the recess a of a stone A. With this done it will be seen that when pull is exerted on the cables a the lower arms B of the members A will be thrown outwardly against the side walls of the recess a, while the upper arms of said members will be brought and held together throughout their length that is to say, from the apices of the In virtue of the lower arms B engaging the undercut side walls of the recess a in the manner described casual disconnection of the grapple from the stone is obviously precluded, while in virtue of the upper arms of the members bearing against each other wedge-pressure is removed from the stone-'21. a, the lower arms B are efl'ectually prevented from swinging outwardly beyond the position shown in Fig. 2 and breaking out of the stone. The bearings of the upper arms of the members A against each other throughout their length is advantageous, since it contributes to the strength of the grapple; but such long bearing is not essential, as a bearing of the upper arms against each other at a point above the apices of the angles of the members will serve the useful purpose pointed outa'. 0., will prevent the lower arms B swinging outwardly beyond the position shown in Fig. 2 and breaking out of the stone.

, Subsequent to the lifting of a stone and when the cables at are relieved of pull the members A may be readily positioned, as shown in Fig. 1, relative to each other, and hence the grapple may be quickly and easily 95 drawn out of engagement with the stone.

While I prefer for obvious reasons to connect the members A through the medium of one-or more links C, I do not desire to be understood as confining myself to the use of a connecting link or links, since the grapple will operate in the manner described no matter whether the members A are connected through the medium of a link or not.

Notwithstanding the practical advantages which 1 have ascribed to my novel grapple, it will be noted that the same is very simple and strong, and hence well adapted to withstand the rough usage to which stone-lifting devices are ordinarily subjected.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A grapple comprising two members having upper and lower arms; the lower arms being disposed at obtuse angles to the upper arms, and the upper arms being straight and arranged to bear against each other through- WHlT. A. DUNCAN.

Witnesses:

W. I. LUTTRELL, L. A. MoCLURE. 

